First of Three Webinars to assist PacifiCorp in Selection of NO_x Reduction Technology 7/14/16 at 11:00 a.m.

PacifiCorp now has to install equipment to meet regional haze requirements impacting 4 x 350 MW coal-fired boilers in Utah. The company is investigating the possibility of installing alternative technology rather than conventional SCR to meet the 0.06 lbs./MMBtu NO_x target. The utility personnel have been utilizing the McIlvaine Power Plant Air Quality Decisions (PPAQD) to help determine a course of action. They have determined that a number of alternatives outlined in PPAQD could be applicable.

PacifiCorp has assembled a very knowledgeable group of researchers and consultants in this endeavor. There is some potential research funding available to help them validate some of their conclusions as they move forward in the decision process.

McIlvaine is providing free services to coal-fired power plants to help them make air, water, combustion and other decisions. McIlvaine will be conducting three webinars for PacifiCorp. 

The first webinar on July 14 will identify the range of opportunities with the goal of reducing in furnace NO_x to 0.22-0.15 lbs/MMBtu and then use back end technologies to reduce outlet emissions to 0.06 lbs./MMBtu.

The second webinar on July 19 will include in-furnace technologies such as neural networks and combustion modifications to reach the 0.22-0.15 lbs./MMBtu NO_x levels.

The third webinar on August 2 will explore ways to obtain the additional reduction to .06-.07 lbs./ MMBtu NO_x.

The webinars will be open to anyone. Already a large number of people designated by PacifiCorp are registered. The format will be a review of information posted in the PPAQD. McIlvaine welcomes contributions to the PPAQD prior to any of the three webinars and then at any time in the future. Utilities and subscribers have continuing access to the system and receive weekly Alerts relative to new content.

PacifiCorp would prefer proven methods. However, McIlvaine contends that the best solution may have been proven in some manner other than installation on similar coal-fired power plants. 

McIlvaine was president of Environeering in 1970 when it partnered with United Engineers to provide an MgO sulfuric acid recovery system to Philadelphia Electric. This system was based on Environeering MgO systems already operating in pulp mills. The conditions were identical and so it was not deemed necessary to conduct pilot plant studies. The system was successful and followed by additional systems at other Philadelphia Electric plants.

In 1965, Environeering partnered with Combustion Engineering to develop limestone scrubbing for coal-fired power plants. A $ 25 million R&D program resulted in the world’s first large scale demo plant (125 MW) at Union Electric Merrimac Station in 1968. Even after all the R&D and pilot work there were many unforeseen problems which developed in the scale up from pilot to 125 MW. The contrast between the successful MgO installation and the problem plagued first limestone installation can serve as a guide.

One option for PacifiCorp is to use SNCR and in duct SCR as has been applied by LP Amina in coal-fired power plants in China and by Fuel Tech in plants elsewhere. How identical are the conditions to these installations?

Catalytic filters from FLSmidth are now being sold for cement plant applications. They use fiberglass bags with embedded catalyst. Several other companies including W.L. Gore and Filtration Group also offer catalytic filter elements. There are hundreds of installations in biomass, glass, and small coal-fired boilers. Is there enough experience and are the conditions similar enough to extrapolate bag life? There is some time for the installation of some catalytic filter units in the existing baghouse to help determine life expectancy.

LoTOx and Pernoxide are attractive because the cost per ton of NO_x removed is the same whether you are moving from 0-20 percent removal or 70-90 percent removal. DuPont has sold 30 LoTOx systems for refinery catalytic cracking processes. Is this experience sufficient?

You can register for the three webinars at: Click here to Register for the Webinars

Acid Gas Removal Needs will boost the 2020 Fabric Filter Market by 2020

The market for fabric filter systems in 2020 will be $8 billion. Seventy-five percent of the applications will be just for particulate removal but 25 percent will be for acid gas removal or for a combination of particulate and acid gas removal. Fabric filters will take market share away from electrostatic precipitators because of both higher particulate and acid gas removal abilities.

The coal-fired power industry has remained loyal to the electrostatic precipitator until recently when regulations on SO₂ and fine particles forced consideration of alternatives. Reverse air cleaned fabric filters were the first to be proven successful in power plant applications. However, their use in acid gas removal is limited. The high solids content of the combination of flyash and sodium or calcium sulfate is a challenge for this type of cleaning mechanism but not for pulse jets. The pulse jet cleaned bag can easily handle the high solids content. China, Italy, the U.S. and South Africa are among the countries where power plants have invested heavily in fabric filters for multiple pollutant removal.

Mercury control regulations in the U.S. have resulted in the increased use of fabric filters with activated carbon injection for mercury capture by power plants. China and the EU are considering regulations which are similarly stringent. Many waste incineration plants in countries throughout the world already employ fabric filters for dust, mercury and acid gas removal.

The use of fabric filters for acid gas control requires a review of bag cleaning technology. The industry has adopted what in accounting terms would be LIFO rather than FIFO. The goal has been to retain a base cake of the particles which are first in. The particles which are last in are then pulsed off. Efficiency and bag life are thus enhanced. However, the opposite is true when calcium oxide is employed. The particles first in have already reacted to form sulfates. They need to be removed. Reaction can then take place with the last in unreacted calcium particles. McIlvaine believes that considerable benefits will be achieved by fully investigating the LIFO options.

More information on N021 World Fabric Filter and Element Market     

More information on 1ABC Fabric Filter

Access to the Decision Guide on FIFO –LIFO bag cleaning options can be found at:

Decision Guides

Utility E-Alert Tracks Billions of Dollars of New Coal-fired Power Plants on a Weekly Basis

Here are some headlines from the Utility E-Alert.

UTILITY E-ALERT

#1280 – July 8, 2016

Table of Contents

COAL – US

• Coal will remain a Major Source of Electricity Generation in the US
• Ohio Coal-fired Power Plant Site to be sold, redeveloped

COAL – WORLD

• Indian Consortium announces construction of Thermal Power Plant in Mozambique
• Hassyan Energy Company signs EPC Contract with Harbin Electric International and General Electric
• South Korea to shut 10 Old Coal-fired Power Plants by 2025 but build 20 New Coal Plants
• Baquioen 900 MW Coal-fired Power Plant proposed for Pangasinan Province, the Philippines
• CIIDG 945 MW Subcritical Coal-fired Power Station under development in Preah Sihanouk Province, Cambodia
• Sweden approves Vattenfall Coal-fired Power Plant Sale
• Japan's JGC to build Coal-fired Power Plant in Sarangani Province, the Philippines
• AC Energy secures additional funding for Lanao Coal-fired Power Plant in Mindanao
• CPEC’s First Coal-fired Power Plant to cut Pakistan’s Energy Shortfall
• Aboitiz Power announces stay on Geothermal, Coal-fired Projects Philippines

The 41F Utility E-Alert is issued weekly and covers the coal-fired projects, regulations and other information important to the suppliers. It is $950/yr. but is included in the $3020 42EI Utility Tracking System which has data on every plant and project plus networking directories and many other features.

India Flow Control and Treatment Revenues will reach $12 billion in 2017

Flow control and treatment revenues in India will grow by more than 8 percent this year and reach $12 billion in 2017. The Indian economy is now the World’s 9^th largest. GDP growth is forecast to exceed 7 percent.

In the air segment, revenues of $2.7 billion will be achieved in 2017. The leading product will be fabric filters which are used in air pollution control in many industries. Most of the revenues of $801 million for electrostatic precipitators will be generated in the power industry. However, the power sector will spend little on flue gas desulfurization (FGD) and NO_x reduction.

Industrial valve and pump revenues will be widely spread across industries such as power, refining, municipal water and wastewater, chemicals, food, mining and pharmaceuticals.

Liquid treatment revenues will reach $2.6 billion in 2017 with each of the four segments sharing the market fairly equally. The big change over the last few years has been the increased market share for cross-flow membranes.

For more information on the Gas Turbine and Combined Cycle Supplier Program, click on: http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/markets/28-energy/610-59ei

For more information on the individual reports click on:

Bob McIlvaine
President
847-784-0012 ext. 112
rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com
www.mcilvainecompany.com